Iconic psychedelic bus goes on display at Grateful Dead-themed showcase

‘Furthur’ made its way to San Francisco last week after decades in an Oregon barn

Rowan Dunne

Published

4 minutes ago

A trippy old bus long linked to psychedelic drugs and the spirit of 1960s counterculture just raced down the highway once again. This time, perched atop a flat-deck trailer on route to a special event.

Last week the faded yet iconic vehicle nicknamed “Furthur” completed its latest journey, rolling into San Francisco from the Kesey family farm in Oregon after nearly six decades away. Workers carefully loaded the 1939 International Harvester school bus onto the trailer and drove it south along Interstate 5, marking its first departure from the property since 1969.

Author Ken Kesey bought the bus in 1964 for a cross-country adventure with his acid-droppin Merry Pranksters pals. They covered it in swirling fluorescent Day-Glo colours and added a rooftop platform and sound system before setting off from California toward New York. The trip, detailed in Tom Wolfe’s book The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, helped define American counterculture.

To many, the bus became a rolling emblem of open minds, anti-war protest and the LSD-fuelled scene that also nurtured the Grateful Dead. After its original and final outing to Woodstock, it took a long rest in an Oregon barn.

Furthur goes on display

Next month the bus is taking centre stage at Forever Grateful — an exhibition organised by the Haight Street Art Center. The show opens on Sept. 5 at the County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park and runs until late October.

Organisers will be presenting the vehicle as a centrepiece of a multi-sensory tribute to the Grateful Dead and the wider San Francisco scene. Visitors are going to encounter it alongside Jerry Garcia’s BMW, a liquid light show created by Lance Gordon of Mad Alchemy, and immersive work by performing arts company Third Rail Projects that includes performers and puppetry.

“A once-in-a-lifetime chance to stand in front of a genuine piece of American counterculture history!” said the centre.

The exhibition pairs historic artefacts with modern experiences, inviting people to walk through six decades of music, art and counterculture in the very park where much of that history unfolded. A free concert by Grateful Dead descendant group Grahame Lesh & Friends on Sept. 7 will add to the opening weekend atmosphere.

After the display ends, plans are in place to begin restoration work on the bus with support from the Furthur Down the Road Foundation. This non-profit’s sole mission is restoring the four-wheeled psychedelic machine to its former glory.

A decade-old documentary milestone

Ten years ago the bus inspired the popular documentary Going Furthur. Released in 2016 after its premiere at San Francisco DocFest, the film follows Zane Kesey and a new generation of Pranksters on a 75-day, 15,000-mile tour in a replica vehicle.

Filmmakers captured stops at music festivals, landmarks and gatherings while weaving in archival footage and interviews with renowned cultural figures such as Wavy Gravy and Alex Grey.

Now, a decade after the film renewed interest in the golden hippie era psychonaut transport vehicle, the authentic bus has finally returned to the city that helped shape its story.